With the end it sight, it is useful to reflect on areas of your teaching that we can address in class. Classroom management seems to be an issue that many of you are concerned about. Classroom management is also a big topic. List two to three management challenges you are are trying to improve at this time. Briefly describe some of the techniques that you have already tried. Describe what a class period will look like when these problems are "solved."
I have been told numerous times by my CT's that my classroom management skills are extremely good for a beginning teacher. I do believe this as well, however, there is ALWAYS room for improvement. Some classroom management skills that I believe I can improve upon is "staying on topic" when students ask questions. Most of the time, I try so hard to answer a students questions that I lose valuable time in the period trying to explain myself in a more specific (and unnecessary) way. What I have tried to do to combat this problem of mine is by not answering their question IMMEDIATELY after the student asks it. I give myself a few moments to collect my thought and understand what the student is asking. Once I have formulated an answer that I am confident in I then go into my brief explanation of the question. If a student still does not understand what I am trying to explain, and I feel that we must move on with the class in order to stay on schedule, I politely ask them to see me after class for a deeper explanation. I of course give them a pass to their next period if they are late.
A second classroom management skill that I believe could use improvement in is anticipating students questions before they ask them. Sometimes I am caught off guard at the "imagination" that my 6th graders have and the creative questions that they think of (questions I would never think of in a million years!). What I have been trying to do for this is "think like a 6th grader" (as silly as that sounds). I literally go through my lesson plans trying to put myself in their place, thinking of different "unorthodox" questions that I could be asked. I then right down the questions I think of and the answers to them. Of course this is not 100% effective because the thoughts of a 6th grader can only truly be harnessed by an actual 6th grader, but it has absolutely helped me in the long run.
A classroom where classroom management problems have been "solved" is a classroom that runs extremely smoothly. Transitions into new subjects/activities are quick and with ease. Questions are answered brief and to the point. Students leave the classroom with a full knowledge of what was trying to be explained. And of course, there are NO disruptions or "down time" during the class period. However, that is in a perfect world, a world that does not exist. We as teachers strive for that perfection but will never reach it. Why? Because science is perfect. Science is meant to be messy, especially biology and thats what I love about it.
I have been told numerous times by my CT's that my classroom management skills are extremely good for a beginning teacher. I do believe this as well, however, there is ALWAYS room for improvement. Some classroom management skills that I believe I can improve upon is "staying on topic" when students ask questions. Most of the time, I try so hard to answer a students questions that I lose valuable time in the period trying to explain myself in a more specific (and unnecessary) way. What I have tried to do to combat this problem of mine is by not answering their question IMMEDIATELY after the student asks it. I give myself a few moments to collect my thought and understand what the student is asking. Once I have formulated an answer that I am confident in I then go into my brief explanation of the question. If a student still does not understand what I am trying to explain, and I feel that we must move on with the class in order to stay on schedule, I politely ask them to see me after class for a deeper explanation. I of course give them a pass to their next period if they are late.
A second classroom management skill that I believe could use improvement in is anticipating students questions before they ask them. Sometimes I am caught off guard at the "imagination" that my 6th graders have and the creative questions that they think of (questions I would never think of in a million years!). What I have been trying to do for this is "think like a 6th grader" (as silly as that sounds). I literally go through my lesson plans trying to put myself in their place, thinking of different "unorthodox" questions that I could be asked. I then right down the questions I think of and the answers to them. Of course this is not 100% effective because the thoughts of a 6th grader can only truly be harnessed by an actual 6th grader, but it has absolutely helped me in the long run.
A classroom where classroom management problems have been "solved" is a classroom that runs extremely smoothly. Transitions into new subjects/activities are quick and with ease. Questions are answered brief and to the point. Students leave the classroom with a full knowledge of what was trying to be explained. And of course, there are NO disruptions or "down time" during the class period. However, that is in a perfect world, a world that does not exist. We as teachers strive for that perfection but will never reach it. Why? Because science is perfect. Science is meant to be messy, especially biology and thats what I love about it.